Final Thoughts, ICO & UE5
Two years ago, the Infantry Combat Overhaul changed Squad's combat in big ways - for the better, in my opinion. The ICO wasn't perfect but the shift towards more deliberate, team-dependent playstyle was in a good direction. Since then I've seen some tweaks and rollbacks (like v8.2), but not much building on what the ICO started.
The team's clearly not afraid to take on big projects - between the ICO and now UE5, making major moves. As we near UE5, I believe there's still time to sharpen the rough edges—not just fixing flaws, but adding onto the foundation.
CQB satisfaction is something that feels missing to me. And this idea is just one way to refine it while trying to hold Squad's vision.
It seems relatively minimal & not-so-sophisticated that it could maybe fit alongside UE5 development, although I recognize UE5 work takes priority. If implementable at all, it might solve a real pain point.
Now there is room for discussion. What's missing for you? Maybe you'd choose a different approach or tweak things differently. Are there potential flaws I have overlooked and if so, could they be addressed with some workarounds. Overall, what would you agree and/or disagree on?
Really just want to get people talking about how we can make the combat even better. What small changes do you think would help?
Off-the-top Add-ons up for Discussion:
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Stance Animation
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Arm Stamina Introduction / Stamina System Rework
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Addition of Low-Ready Stance alongside
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How to integrate Leaning with the Stance
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Breathing/heavy audio cues if stamina is low
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Adjustable height/stance system similar to EFT ( added )